In recent years, extruded hollow plastic planks have been developed for use in connection with decks. The planks are commonly nailed or screwed to underlying wooden joists or the plywood sheeting of a deck. Since the plastic planks are impervious to moisture, they do not rot like wooden planks will over time.
However, plastic expands and contracts more than wood does with variations in temperature. In winter it is not unusual for the plastic to split where a nail or screw fastener has been driven through it. Furthermore, moisture can leak down along the fastener and still penetrate the supporting wood structure.
The present invention addresses these problems in the context of providing plastic tiles to overlie a supporting wooden sub-structure (referred to hereinafter as the "wooden deck").